British people love to travel, with 86 per cent of people reportedly taking some form of holiday every year according to Complete Holiday Homes. Furthermore, 12 per cent of holidaymakers choose to fly abroad three or more times annually. Unsurprisingly, travellers have plenty of experience with tourism, and now their opinions on what makes a good tourist have been revealed. Surprisingly, it seems British people condemn their own nation as the “worst” tourists.
In fact, a survey by YouGov found that 57 per cent of British holidaymakers “have a negative view of their own travellers (i.e British tourists) when they are in other countries.”
Based on further research from Taxi2Airport.com, it seems British people think as tourists the nation lacks an understanding of new cultures and customs before travelling to the destination.
The Holiday Transfer Specialist behind the survey sought to find out what traits make a “good tourist” to further figure out why Britons are deemed so bad at travelling.
Following a survey of 1,782 people, the report found that the number one trait of a good tourists is “learning a few words or phrases in a local language.”
Furthermore, the most important phrases that Britons felt foreign travellers should learn are “hello”, “thank you” and “please”.
Despite this, it seems this is a something many holidaymakers forget to do. Over half of those surveyed went on to say that this was simply because they didn’t have time to “make the effort to learn or understand a travel destination respective culture or customs.”
An additional 75 per cent of those surveyed felt controlled alcohol consumption is very important when travelling abroad.
Thereafter, 70 per cent of people said: “It is best for travellers not to talk about sensitive topics in public to avoid causing offence.”
Other traits that make up the perfect visitor include “tipping fairly”, “dressing respectfully”, “not littering” and “willingness to try domestic cuisines and eat at local restaurants.”
However, the nation went on to defend the actions of its people. Just under half of Britons say they take a back-seat approach towards familiarising themselves with the culture/customs of an overseas destination as a result of not knowing where to begin their research.
Surprisingly, 17 percent are influenced not to understand/learn a given country’s culture/customs as they believe their attempts will not be appreciated enough by the local citizens of the visiting country.
Simon Botto, CEO of Taxi2Airport.com, advises travellers do some research ahead of their travels.
He said: “I recommend researching some basic customs and cultures of the country you’re visiting before booking accommodation. A month before travelling, check the UK government website for details on what British citizens need to be aware of before entering the country you’re visiting. Being a good tourist means being prepared and accepting that different countries have different rules”.
Yoon Sterkenburg, Co-Founder of Taxi2Airport.com, added: “Whilst travelling is a fun and enriching experience, individuals need to be aware that culture and customs between their home and visiting country will undoubtedly vary. With that comes a responsibility to acknowledge as well as be respectful of these differences. This research certainly demonstrates the behaviours and actions Brits think make a ‘good tourist’. With some very fascinating insights”.
The news follows another recent survey that revealed the way Britons like to holiday is changing.
According to research from Rentalcars.com British people are growing weary of the traditional beach holiday. Where once upon a time the nation was keen to sun it up on the sand, now 80 per cent of tourists say the beach “annoys” them.
The survey gathered the opinions of 2,000 UK holidaymakers to discover how we’re holidaying in 2019.
It turns out the traditional long stretches of golden sand and ocean views are decreasing in popularity.
According to Rentalcars.com this is because British travellers “want to get out-and-about on holiday, with 38 per cent saying they like to explore and would travel for an hour to do so, and a third taking on trips of two hours or more.”
New favourite holiday activities include exploring nearby towns, spending time with family or friends, and sampling the local cuisine.